Wednesday, June 28th, 2006
Letter to the Editor (Winnipeg Free Press)
Province charged with destroying Seine habitat (June 23) sheds light on some very serious issues about the mismanagement of the Seine River. The responsibility of managing the waterway rests mainly with the province. Over the decades, several structures, including the one identified in the article (at Hwy. 59), have been constructed that severely impact the Seine River habitat. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans' charges against Manitoba Water Stewardship under the federal Fisheries Act involve an incident that harmed many kilometres of fish habitat. While most incidents that provoke charges are isolated and can be corrected, this area is so large that the damage is incalculable.
The more serious issue is that this structure and others built by the province cause ongoing adverse impacts to the lower Seine River. They restrict fish passage and reduce water levels that harm fish habitat. These provincially built and maintained structures continue to harm the aquatic habitat.
Fish Futures Inc. sponsored a Save Our Seine (SOS) study to investigate improvements needed to various structures to address fish habitat and proper compliance with federal legislation. SOS looks forward to presenting these findings with each provincial department concerned or interested.
The province's attitude thus far is an incorrect assumption that flood protection (which we all desire, especially SOS members who live on the Seine) cannot be accomplished without restricting navigability, compromising human safety and further harming the fish habitat. This is simply not so.
SOS's mandate is to protect, preserve and enhance the Seine River Greenway. Ensuring the federal legislation is respected by industry, individuals and other levels of government is a significant part of that. The current situation is simply not acceptable and must be addressed. Now is the time to correct these mistakes and comply with federal legislation. Until the responsible authorities do so, the federal government should revisit its funding support conditions for the floodway expansion. As a taxpayer, I would appreciate a condition that federal legislation is respected by provincial partners.
DAVID DANYLUK
Co-ordinator
Save Our Seine River Environment Inc.
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